UK court rejects bid to extradite Rwandan spy chief

LONDON (AP) — A British court on Monday rejected a bid to extradite Rwanda's intelligence chief to Spain to stand trial for war crimes.

Emmanuel Karenzi Karake, a Rwandan general, had been free on bail following his arrest at Heathrow Airport in June by British police acting on a European arrest warrant.

The general, a close ally of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, was one of 40 members of the Rwandan military indicted in 2008 on charges of terrorism and genocide by a Spanish judge.

Britain's Crown Prosecution Service said Monday that the relevant British laws on the alleged conduct in the case do not cover acts of non-British nationals.

Karake's arrest in June prompted angry responses from Rwanda's government. Kagame complained that the charges against the general were politically motivated and a sign of contempt and arrogance by Western countries.

Spanish courts have used the principle of universal jurisdiction to indict current or former government leaders or terrorism suspects, but extraditions and convictions have been rare.